The ASEAN Labour Ministers and their counterparts from People’s Republic of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea (the Plus Three Countries) gathered on 23 May 2014 in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, to review the progress of the cooperation under frameworks of ASEAN Plus Three cooperation and exchange views on strategies and initiatives to strengthen the cooperation particularly relating to the enhancement of competitive labour force for harmonious, progressive and prosperous workplace.
The Eighth ASEAN Plus Three Ministers Meeting (8th ALMM+3) was attended by the Ministers/representatives responsible for labour from Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam, People’s Republic of China, Japan, and Republic of Korea, and their respective delegations. The Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) and staff representatives of the ASEAN Secretariat were also in attendance. The list of the ASEAN Plus Three Labour Ministers is enclosed.
Exchange of Views on Enhancing Competitive Labour Force for Harmonious, Progressive and Prosperous Workplace
The Ministers shared information and exchanged views on the achievements, experiences, and challenges in enhancing the competitiveness of labour force for harmonious, progressive and prosperous workplace in their respective countries. The Ministers agreed that closer cooperation among ASEAN Plus Three Countries should be enhanced to promote quality vocational training and education, improve labour market information systems and national competency standards.
Status of ASEAN Plus Three Cooperation in Labour
The Ministers expressed appreciation and welcomed the initiatives of the People’s Republic of China to convene the ASEAN-China High Level Seminar on Social Insurance System focusing on pension insurance in September 2014, and the ASEAN-ILO/China Dissemination Seminar on improving Employment Services focusing on sharing of experiences on employment services among ASEAN Member States and China. The Ministers expressed appreciation to China to continue programme especially training development.
The Ministers expressed appreciation to Japan for its continued support to the on-going projects of the ASEAN-ILO/Japan Programme on Industrial Relations and ASEAN-ILO/Japan Project of Promoting and Building Income Security and Employment Services in ASEAN. The Ministers also expressed appreciation for the ASEAN-Japan Fund for Building Social Safety Net which has been utilised to support various projects and activities in ASEAN aimed at strengthening social protection that contribute to the implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening Social Protection. The Ministers requested future cooperation with Japan in the areas of industrial relations, labour standards and unemployment insurance.
The Ministers noted with satisfaction the progress of the ASEAN-Japan HRD Collaboration Programme for CLMV, including the Training Course on Management of Vocational Training Institutions (Career Guidance and Training Support Services) on 10-19 September 2013 both in Japan and Malaysia, which was followed by a series of national seminars in CLMV Countries in December 2013 and January 2014. The Ministers requested Japan to continue the implementation of the ASEAN-Japan HRD Collaboration Programme for CLMV. The Ministers noted with appreciation the completion of numerous joint programmes supported by the Republic of Korea, including the 13th Human Resources
Development Programme for Officials of ASEAN Countries (13th HRDP) held on 10-21 February 2014, the ASEAN-ILO-Korea Fellowship Training on Employment Insurance (EI) for ASEAN Region: Learning from Korean Experience on Operating Unemployment Insurance Linked with Employment Services held on 7-12 October 2013, and the ASEAN-ILO-Korea Fellowship Training on Employment Injury Insurance (EII) for ASEAN countries: Learning from Korean experience on Linkage between Prevention, Compensation and Return to Work held on 14-20 October 2013 in Seoul, Republic of Korea. The Ministers supported the plan to convene the follow-up ASEAN+3 HRD Forum on National Competency Standard and the ASEAN-ILO Korea Fellowship Trainings on Employment Insurance and Employment Injury Insurance, tentatively in October 2014 in Korea.
Ninth ASEAN Plus Three Labour Ministers Meeting
The Ministers looked forward to further exchanges of views on joint labour initiatives at the Ninth ASEAN Plus Three Labour Ministers Meeting in Lao PDR in 2016.
Concluding Remarks
The Ministers expressed their sincere appreciation to the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, particularly the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, for the warm hospitality extended to the ASEAN delegates and excellent arrangement of the Meeting.
